Forever Left Behind
by Rose Stetson
Summary: How does Jack feel when someone is forever left behind?
1. Captured

Forever Left Behind

_Season 7 or thereabouts..._

It started out like any other mission...simple recon on the inhabitants of P3A 246. I led the team through the Gate...and into the biggest trap we've ever encountered.

Carter and Daniel asked if they could learn some things from the scientists on the planet, but the natives seemed hesitant in their response. Finally, the boss...Judin, I think...invited them to join a group of scientists, so Danny and Teal'c went with the history buffs while Carter and I went to the science labs for lots and lots of technobabble.

Before I knew what was happening, Anubis showed up. The Jaffa with him took Carter...even though she put up one heck of a fight...and left me and ol' ascended snakehead alone.

"Colonel O'Neill, we meet once more." He said.

"Great, you know I was just counting the hours..." I replied sarcastically.

"You will find that your insolence will not be tolerated for long, O'Neill."

"Well, that's a first."

"You surprise me, O'Neill." He said as he sat in his throne. "Your tactical evasions are brilliant, and yet you allow your attitude to color your language so much that your captors often find it distasteful."

"You know, I really don't care a whole lot about what they think of me in Goa'uld land." I replied.

"I do not believe that you are telling me the whole truth. I have believed for some time now that you desire fame...or in our eyes, infamy. However, I stray from my objective."

"No way!" I muttered.

If he didn't have that stupid hood on, I know he would have glared at me with those glowing goa'uld eyes of his.

"Perhaps you do not wish to know what will become of your comrades...very well, I can move on to your fate."

He pulled a mind probe from the layers of fabric he had on his practically rotting carcass. Crap! I thought. He said comrades...Daniel and Teal'c...

"You are no longer in a position to negotiate, O'Neill." He said, rising. "I shall discover the secrets of your mind...and before you continue your charade of ignorance, I shall tell you that I can see your mind working to hide your intelligence..."

Then, I blacked out as the mind probe was placed in my brain.

* * *

_This is one of the fics that I wrote during my brief hiatus from you enjoy...oh, and did I tell you to REVIEW?_


	2. Pain

I found myself in a room with an electric fence barring the door. Teal'c and Daniel were in similar cells on either side of me, but there was no sign of Carter.

"You guys okay?"

I didn't get any response from them, so I figured that our cells were soundproof. But before I could try to make any other contact, the Jaffa came for me. They took me to "Royal Snakehead" himself, and he got up when they forced me to my knees.

"O'Neill, I have learned much from you...the entire "Simpsons" television series...all of your exploits with SG-1...the location of the Ancients' city on Earth...you feelings for your team members..."

My heart started beating faster.

"Major Carter is a very beautiful woman...don't you agree?"

"Any man would be blind if they didn't admit that." I replied, trying to use all of my black ops mind evasion tactics, though I knew it probably wouldn't work.

"You may be correct, O'Neill, but you have stronger feelings for Samantha than the average man." He said as he paced around me. "Therefore, I have arranged for a guest to join our little soiree."

The Jaffa brought Sam out; she was as defiant as ever about her captivity. "Get your hands off of me!"

Nevertheless, they continued to hold her captive. "You have a lot of spirit...Samantha." Anubis said, encircling her.

She spat onto his hood- it would have been his face. "How dare you call me by my first name!" She hissed.

"Carter!" I called out, worried.

She looked at me. Go, she mouthed.

I shook my head. I was not leaving without her. Nobody gets left behind!

"Anubis, you don't need her. You want me..." I began.

"Oh, yes I do, but she is the key breaking you, to cracking your impenetrable shield."

My eyes widened and Anubis motioned for one of his Jaffa to come forward.

"I will soon take another host and when I do, I will take a queen."

A look of terror froze on Sam's features and I cursed my feelings for her...if only she had been one of the guys, she wouldn't be here. "Come on," I yelled. "She wouldn't want to touch your rotting corpse!"

My ploy to distract Anubis worked, and he approached me while Sam just stared at me.

"O'Neill, I know that your greatest desire is to become my host, for then you will be with Samantha forever."

Okay, there could have been a much more romantic way of Sam finding out that I...liked her...a lot. I thought.

"You know, I've always had a problem with snakes...especially when they're in my head." I said, facetiously.

Anubis walked closer to me. "Oh, it will not simply be a transference of symbiote. It will be much worse than that because nothing of the host survives this transference. So, in a way, you would be both closer to and farther away from Samantha than you have ever been in your life."

The Jaffa took Samantha to a sort of goa'uld surgical table and strapped her to it. As Anubis approached her, he took off his hood, and Sam cringed. I wasn't able to see what she saw, but just the look on her face made me want to puke. Anubis caressed her cheek. "You will learn to love me," He whispered.

"Since when do Goa'uld system lords care about love?" She spat. "I will only love one man." She looked at me, and my heart stopped for an instant.

At that, Anubis used a goa'uld painstick device on her. When she passed out from the pain, he motioned for the Jaffa nearest him to come closer. Then, he reached into the Jaffa's gut and produced an adult goa'uld. He laid it onto the table next to her. I watched in horror as the snake-like creature preyed on my beautiful Samantha.

"Sleep well, my love." He said, with an evil grin of satisfaction on his face. He then looked at me. "Well, thanks to you, I'm going to have the most beautiful queen in the galaxy."

Just then, two Jaffa came in, escorting Daniel and Teal'c to see Anubis. "My lord, the prisoners as you requested."

Anubis nodded. "This is your lucky day, gentlemen. You are going to meet my new queen and my host...eventually."

Daniel paled and Teal'c raised his eyebrow. They both looked at me. My expression my have been pretty bad because Daniel was unable to withhold his reaction. "NO!"

I'd only seen him look that devastated once before...it must have been the worst feeling of déjà-vu that he had ever experienced.

Just then, Sam stirred, and Anubis motioned for the Jaffa to remove her restraints. My heart stopped, and I closed my eyes in pain.

"Tau'ri," came the synthesized gravelly voice. "Open your eyes and face your goddess!"

I tried to fight it, but I knew that would mean death to the other members of my team...so I looked. Her hateful gaze reached my hopeful glance, and I turned away. "You are weak."

Then, she turned her eyes toward Daniel. "Daniel Jackson," she called.

I turned to look at him, and a look of devastation crossed his face as he saw Sam.

"You are lucky to be surrounded by so much beauty!" She sneered.

I was surprised and impressed by Danny Boy's actions. He pounced on the nearby Jaffa, grabbing the staff weapon and tossing it to me. I shot at Anubis, but he dodged my aim and retreated. Teal'c managed to knowck out the other two Jaff, but before I was able to give the order to move out...actually, as I hesitated, hoping to take Sam to Thor, she entrapped me in the beam of the goa'uld ribbon device. Pain engulfed my thoughts and sensations. I tried to fight it, but eventually, I began to give into the unconsciousness that started to overtake me. Then, I felt the beam abruptly end.

I felt someone tug at my arm, dragging me away. As my sight returned, I saw Sam's crumpled body drift further away from me.

"Stop..." I managed, weakly.

"We cannot, O'Neill." Teal'c said, continuing to drag me further away from her.

"Dammit, Teal'c, stop!" I gasped. "Nobody gets left behind...even with a goa'uld."

"The goa'uld was going to execute you."

"So you killed her!" I cried, incredulously.

I'll never forget the look on Teal'c's face after I said that. He was nearly tortured with emotional pain. "O'Neill, I am sorry."

Then, he zatted me.


	3. Left Behind

I sit on the bank by the lake near my cabin in Minnesota, trying unsuccessfully to do some night fishing. It has been six months since then, and I've been retired for that whole time. I look at the stars and wonder: was Sam placed in the sarcophagus and revived? Is she Ascended? Will I ever see her again?

In any case, I failed. And now, she's forever left behind. I look at the cool water of the lake, and wonder if suicide still qualifies one for ascension. So, I decide to find out, because I can't handle being left behind.


End file.
